Program device



June 8, 1954 J. DUQUENNE 2,680,379

PROGRAM DEVICE Filed Nov. 20, 1951 INVENTOR. 'LLhADMMe-hn BY I ffm/1975,

Patented June 8, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT, OFFICE 2,6803'79y "PROGRAM DEVICE Jean Duquenne, Liege, Belgium pplca'tion November 20, 1951, Serial No.v 257,255

Claims priority, application Belgium December 9, 1950 8 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for automatically operating the driving members of washing and like machines. l u e 'y e y Washing machines comprise members which are put into operation at certain determined Ino-Y ments of the washing cycle, such as for" example inlet, outlet andheating valves, shuttersymembers which distribute the washing andother products, and members which drivethemotor' 'of' the washing machine. Inknown machines these dif' ferent members are operatedmanually orV automatically by means of different systems; making use of drums', discs,` chains, or cam shafts, connected by mechanical or other means with interrupters, valves or relays. In all'cases the duration of the operations is` determinedby the speed of travel of the discs, drums or other ele"- ments.

The present invention is 'based' on the fact that in the course of washing' and laundering, the operations to be carried out can be divided into two groups, viz, those which are repeated in a certain order for each of the successive baths, and those which are repeated for each batch,

that is, those which regulate thesuccession and"` the quality of the baths.

The invention consists'of an apparatus for automatically driving the washing machines, composed of two units, one of which comprises the drive for the members the operations of which are Vrepeated at each bath, and the otherv Which comprises the members the operations of which are repeated with each batch or charge.

According to one feature of the present invention, one of the units acts upon the other and vice versa, that is, when one 'of 'the units has stopped, the other passes through a certain phase of its cycle, and inversely. In one modification a unit relating to the drive of the members to be operated consists of ratchet wheels operated by pawls carried on a pivoting arm andY of a locking plate. The construction isY s'uch Vthat the plate of one group acts'upon the pawls of the other group, in this way the movement' of one' unit is determined by the movement ofthe other'.v The ratchet wheels vof one unit influence cams which drive the members to be Yoperated andthe locking plate, with hollows and raised portions, which eventually raise the pawls of the other unit. The pawls of each unit` are carried' by an" arm which is driven in an alternative'movement by an exterior driving source. Onel of. the plates determines the-number andduration of each successive bath, andvconsequently the duration of each batch; the other plate prevents a bath from ratchet Wheelsfor 'ea'ch unit, one,'being that of reduction', determining' the speed of advancement of thev other, the driving Wheel secured to the shaft' whichVA carries the camsdriving the members tofbe operated. `'Moreoveig each'pawl plate of e'a'c'h'- g'roup" comprises four pawls or rollers engaging' the reducingra'tchet wheel', the driving" wheel," the locking plate andl one plate for simultaneously raisingk th'two pawl plates, respectively. The" arrangement is completed by the addition of'r'atche'ts which prevent the back.

ward movement of the reductionwhe'el and driving wheel.

Other details will become' evident from the description With reference 'to the' accompanying drawings, which are' given by' way of' illustration, of embodiments of'the invention;

In the accompanying drawings: v

Figure 1 is a perspective view otone arrange'- ment according to the invention," 'and Figure 2' is a" longitudinal cross section'of' a modied arrangement. o

, As shown in Figure 1, an arrn 2` mounted on an" axle 3 has` imp'arte'dthereto' a tri-and-fro movement. On this" a'rnf'is mounted a rodj 4 which carries two pawl platt-.fsV V5'a'nd' '5" having several pawls or rollers. 'Ihepa'wlA platesV can be raised' either both together 'by a general'st'opping plate 1, which is operated" by' raising the handle when it isV desired `to stop" orislispend'the progress of the vwashing operation, `or else each plate can Ybe raised' separately by' two locking plates 9 andl I0. The pawlf platesv Ela'nd are each provided with fcuripavvls 5, 5', 5"' and -5V and 6', 6"', 6 and BY respectively. The contacting points of' the'pawls' may comprise' a' roller.

When the pawl plates' are in tl'i'elowered.I posi'- v tion, the pawls operateratclietu toothedwh'eels and I3. Each of thesewheels Hand I2 has one or more deeperteeth than the others', allowing the pavvl togfall further and todrive lby means of thefpawls 5"` and 6 driving ratchet wheels I4 and I5' which are secured-tothe shafts Sand which are repeatedior each bathcomprises the Y drivingvwheel lll secured to the shaft 3; the -reducing wheel Il,-the locking plate Irsecured tothe shaft 3 and the various cams such as IB for driving the operating members.

The second unit which relates to the operations which are repeated at each batch comprises the driving wheel I5 secured to the shaft I3, the reducing wheel I2, the locking plate 9 secured to the shaft I3 and the various cams such as I'I. Both units are supported on a frame I8.

Various pawls II', I4, I2 and I5' are mounted on a shaft I9 and prevent backward movement of the ratchet wheels during the backward movement of the arm 2.

The apparatus functions as follows: At the start of the rst bath, the articles to be washed being in the machine and the motor stopped, the pawl 5 of the pawl plate 5 is engaged in a notch in the plate 9. The pawl 6"' of the pawl plate B is in the low position in the hollow of the plate I0, but is only a short distance from a raised portion of plate I as shown in Figure 1.

As soon as the motor is started, the reduction wheel I I, at each deep tooth causes the wheel I4 to advance by one tooth, because if pawl 5' penetrates into a deep tooth, pawl 5 can drive wheel I4. The shaft 3 rotates and the plate IE raises the pawl plate 6, pawl 6"' having reached the raised portion on plate IB. The cams I6 have operated their members and have, for instance, closed the outlet, tilted the washing container, etc. When the shaft 3 has rnade one revolution under the influence of wheel t4, a hollow part on the plate I0 has again arrived in front of the pawl 6' of the pawl plate 6. This, by means of pawl 6 operates the wheel I2 which, having only one deep tooth causes the wheel l5 to advance by one tooth per revolution.

As soon as the wheel I5 has advanced by one tooth, a raised portion of the plate S raises the pawl 5"' of the pawl plate 5; and the pawl 5' is disengaged from the wheel Il, the movement of which is stopped.

The plate 9 has distributed over its periphery a series of hollows which limit the duration of the different baths.

It is clear that if two successive hollows of the plate 9 are displaced at an angle corresponding to that of a given number of teeth of the wheel i5, the duration of the bath is` that of a number of revolutions of the wheel I2, increased by the duration of time during which the plate I@ has raised the pawl plate This last period is that of two revolutions of the wheel II, if this one has one deep tooth to every three; it would be that of three revolutions, if there were one deep tooth to every four, and so on, providing that in any case the notch in the plate I0 is equal to the third, quarter, etc. respectively of a circumference.

On the whole, then, supposing two hollows in the plate 9 being displaced by five teeth, the duration of the bath is that of two revolutions of the wheel II, increased by that of ve revolutions of the wheel I2.

The plates 9 and I0 and the pawls 5 and 5" of the pawl plates have to be designed and constructed so as to avoid that when the arm 2 moves back, the pawl does not come in front of the-tooth of the plate, and causes the ill-timed advancing of the plate, and with it of the remainder of the mechanism.

It is also clear that if the plate 9 has a longer hollow, enlarged, for instance, by one division, the wheel I4, and consequently all the cams of the first, will make two successive revolutions,

4 i. e. they will make the bath last at least three revolutions of the wheel II, followed immediately by a second one. This property can be applied, for instance, to produce several rinsings successively of a minimum duration.

Figure 2 shows a modified embodiment. In this figure the same reference numbers are used as those in Figure 1 to indicate the same or similar parts. The parts constituting the first unit comprise, as in Figure 1, the reduction wheel II, the driving wheel I4 and the plate Ill secured to the shaft 3 which carries the cams I6 which operate the members to be driven (not shown). On the rod 4 is mounted the pawl plate 5 formed of two parts, that is having the pawl 5' separated from the others. This pawl 5" comes in contact with the plate 9 secured to the shaft I3, in the same way as the wheel I5 and the cams Il. Between the plate 9 and the cams I'." there is a plate 9 which is acted upon by a pawl 2i). This plate 9 is toothed only on that part of the periphery which corresponds to the divisions which 9 will still have to cover to iinish a complete revolution after the various baths have terminated.

If, for instance, it has 10 teeth, when the wheel I5, advancing by one tooth only, reaches the toothed portion of 9', the plate 9 again begins to move; after ten movements of the arm 2, that is, after ten seconds, it brings its rst notch under the pawl 5 of the pawl; the wheel it turns and one of the cams I6 operates the members for emptying the container, the batch is finished.

According to one characteristic of the construction shown in Figure 2, the locking plate 9 and the cams II are mounted at one end of the shaft, so that they can be easily exchanged for other similar elements if it is desired to change the process of washing.

What I claim is:

1. A multiple stage containing program control mechanism comprising two groups of rotating cams, two groups of ratchet wheels for respectively rotating said cams, two pawl plates for operating said two groups of ratchet wheels, a notched locking plate associated with each group oi ratchet wheels, the locking plate of one group acting upon the pawls of the other group and inversely in such a Way that the operation of one group causes the other group first to stop and then to be again operated, said other group causing then the one said group to stop, each said group of ratchet wheels comprising a speed reducing wheel and a driving wheel, the speed reducing wheels being so designed that the cams of one of said groups make a rotation during the duration of each stage and the cams of the other group make a rotation during the program.

2. A multiple stage containing program control mechanism comprising two groups of rotating cams, two groups of ratchet wheels for respectively rotating said cams, two pawl plates for operating said two groups of ratchet wheels, a notched locking plate associated with each group of ratchet wheels, the locking plate of one group acting upon the pawls of the other group and inversely in such a way that the operation of one group causes the other group first to stop and then to be again operated, said other group causing then the one said group to stop, each said group of ratchet wheels comprising a speed reducing wheel and a driving wheel, the speed reducing wheels being so designed that the cams of one of said groups make a rotation during the arredare duration orf-each stagcand .the cams of: the-other group. make. a rotation duringtheprogram and' anarm having a: toiandlfrofmovement for. operating said pawl plates.A

3. A multiple-stage containing program control mechanism comprisingv two-,groups of rotating ca1ns two groups .of ratchet wheels: for respectively vrotating said-cams, two pawl'plates for Operating 'Said two.v groups ofv ratchet.. wheels, a notched locking plate assnciated with each group of ratchet wheels, the locking plate of one group actingv upon. the pawlsof the. other group and inversely in such a way that the operation of one groupcausesjthe other grouprst to stop and then to be again operated, said other group causing then the one said group. to stop, each saidV group of' ratchet wheels comprising a speed reducing wheel and` a driving wheel, the speed reducing wheels being so designed that the cams of one of said groupsmake a rotation during the duration of each stage andthe cams of the other group make a rotation during the program and an armhaving a to andY fro movement for operating said pawl plates, said pawl'plates having three pawls, one of which acts upon said speed reduction wheel, another pawl acting upon the driving wheel and the third pawl of a plate acting upon the locking plate of the other group and inversely.

4. A multiple stage containing program control mechanism comprising two groups of rotating cams, two groups of ratchet wheels for respectively rotating said cams, two pawl plates for operating said two groups of ratchet wheels, a notched locking plate associated with each group of ratchet wheels, the locking plate of one group acting upon the pawls of the other group and inversely in such a way that the operation of one group causes the other group first to stop and then to be again operated, said other group causing then the one said group to stop, each said group of ratchet wheels comprising a speed reducing wheel and a driving wheel, the speed reducing wheels being so designed that the cams of one of said groups make a rotation during the duration of each stage and the cams of the other group make a rotation during the program and an arm having a to and fro movement for operating said pawl plates, said pawl plates having three pawls, one of which acts upon said speed reduction wheel, another pawl acting upon the driving wheel and the third pawl of a plate acting upon the locking plate of the other group and inversely, an additional cam associated with each group of ratchet wheels and an additional pawl associated with each pawl plate for simultaneously raising said pawl plates.

5. A multiple stage containing program control mechanism comprising two groups of rotating cams, two groups of ratchet wheels for respectively rotating said cams, two pawl plates for operating said two groups of ratchet wheels, a notched locking plate associated with each group of ratchet wheels, the locking plate of one group acting upon the pawls of the other group and inversely in such a way that the operation of one group causes the other group first to stop and then to be again operated, said other group causing then the one said group to stop, each said group of ratchet wheels comprising a speed reducing wheel and a driving wheel, the speed reducing wheels being so designed that the cams of one of said groups make a rotation during the duration of each stage and the cams of the other group make a rotation during the program and an .arm having ato andifrcr movementxfor operating said. pawl. plates, said pawl: .plates having three pawls, oneofl which actsv upon said speed reduction wheel, another pawl; vacting upon the driving wheel and the third pawl of a plate acting upon the locking plate vof the other group and inversely, an additional'cam associated with each group of ratchetwheels, andan additional pawl associated witheachpawlgplate for simultaneously raising said pawlplates, a shaft for each group of ratchet.` wheelson which are mounted said cams, the: said shafts being co-aXial.

6. A multiple `stageiy containing programl control mechanism-.comprising two groups of rotating; cams, twoy groups-.of yratchet wheels for respectively rotating saidcams, two pawl plates, for operating said'two..l groups of ratchetvwheels, a notched locking plate associated with each group of ratchet wheels, thexlocking. plate of one group acting upon the pawls. of the other group. and inversely in such a way that the operation of one group causes the other group. rst to. stop and then tobe again-operated, said other group. causing.. then the onesaid. group to stop, each said group of ratchet. wheels comprising a speed reducing wheel and a driving wheel, the speed reducing wheels being so designed that the cams of one of said groups make a rotation during the duration of each stage and the cams of the other group make a rotation during the program and an arm having a to and fro movement for operating said pawl plates, said pawl plates having three pawls, one of which acts upon said speed reduction wheel, another pawl acting upon the driving wheel and the third pawl of a plate acting upon the locking plate of the other group and inversely, an additional cam associated with each group of ratchet wheels and an additional pawl associated with each pawl plate for simultaneously raising said pawl plates, a shaft for each group of a`ratchet wheels on which are mounted said cams, the said shafts being parallel.

7. A multiple stage containing program control mechanism comprising two groups of rotating cams, two groups of ratchet wheels for respectively rotating said cams, two pawl plates for operating said two groups of ratchet wheels, a notched locking plate associated with each group of ratchet wheels; the loc-king plate of one group acting upon the pawls of the other group and inversely in such a way that the operation of one group causes the other group rst to stop and then to be again operated, said other group causing then the one said group to stop, each saidgroup of ratchet wheels comprising a speed reducing wheel and a driving wheel, the speed reducing wheels being so designed that the cams of one of said groups make a rotation during the duration of each stage and the cams of the other group make a rotation during the program and an arm having a to and fro movement for operating said pawl plates, said pawl plates having three pawls, one of which acts upon said speed reduction wheel, another pawl acting upon the locking plate of the other group and inversely, an additional cam associated with each group of ratchet wheels and an additional pawl associated with each pawl plate for simultaneously raising said pawl plates, a shaft for each group of ratchet wheels on which are mounted said cams the said shafts being coaxial, the locking plate of one said group as well as the group of cams associated therewith being removably mounted at one end of said one shaft.

8. A multiple stage containing program con trol mechanism comprising two groups of rotating cams, two groups of ratchet wheels for respectively rotating said cams, two pawl plates for operating said two groups of ratchet wheels, a notched locking plate associated with each group of ratchet wheels, the locking plate of one group acting upon the pawls of the other group and inversely in such a Way that the: operation of one group causes the other group first to stop and then to be again operated, said other group causing then the one said group to stop, each said group of ratchet wheels comprising a speed reducing wheel and a driving Wheel, the speed reducing wheels being so designed that the cams of one of said groups make a rotation during the duration of each stage and the cams of the other group make a rotation during the program and an arm having a to and fro movement for operating said pawl plates, said pawl plates having three pawls, one of which acts upon said speed reduction wheel, another pawl acting upon the locking plate of the other group and inversely, an additional cam associated with each group of ratchet wheels and an additional pawl associated with each pawl plate for simultaneously raising said pawl plates, a shaft for each group of ratchet wheels on which are mounted said cams, the said shafts being coaxial, the locking plate of one said group as well as the group of cams associated therewith being removably mounted at one end of said one shaft and an auxiliary plate associated with said removable locking plate for moving said locking plate back to zero.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,323,216 Cornwall Nov. 25, 1919 1,565,336 Seufert Dec. 15, 1925 2,042,116 Morris May 26, 1936 2,341,669 Stanley Feb. 15, 1944 2,344,253 Kirby Mar. 14, 1944 2,380,732 Dunham July 31, 1945 2,597,359 McDonald May 20, 1952 2,632,332 Biggert Mar. 24, 1953 

